Improvement in railroad-car brakes



" 1110 all when@ it may concern:

ftain new and `useful Improvements in Rail-` road- Car Brakes; and I do lhereby declare `description ofthe same, reference being had i of this specification, in whichvention, taken in the lineA a: w, Fig. -4; Fig. 2,.

vertical section of the same, taken in the `hue y y, Fig. 35Fig. 3, a side sectional view 5, a planer topview of Fig. 3.

sponding parts in the several gures.

brake by whichfthebrakes of a series of coni neeted cars( may be `simultaneously operated "tionfromone of` the'driving-wheels thereof,

i USG.

` 1 simpleand efficient brake capable of `being i `working parts fof the brake being subjected "tear consequently avoided, and especiallyto i `understand and construct myin f UNITED STATEs` PATENT OFFICE.

"AuGUsTINE" ILvAMBLEE, or MILWAUKEE, wisconsin, AssreNoE To HIM- sELEANnE; MAMELER AND w. MARTIN, BOTH oE sAME PLAGE.

f iMeRovt-:M ENT IN RAILROAD-CAR' BRAKES.

l Specification forming part-of Letters Patent No. 35,6117, dated June 17, 1862. i

Be it known; `that I, AUGnsrINE IREL AM- BLER, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukeeand` State of Wisconsin, have invented cer` thatthehfollowing is la full, clear, and exact to the `accompanying drawings, making a part Figurel isa side sectional view of my'inof the same, takenin theline c z, Figs. 2 and 5;` Fig. 4, a plan "or top view of Fig.` 1; Fig.

,y Similarletters of reference indicate corre- `This inventionrelates to an improved earfrom thelocomotive either by steam or by fricor each individual car be operated by a brake` man, as in theordinary brakes in common y The object offthe invention` is to obtaina 'loperated as speeied, and one which will admit of all theiwheels of aear of a series of ears comprisinga train being subjectedto a uniform pressure, so as toprevent any of the toany undue strain, torsion, or pressure, and breakage, aswellasunnecessary wear and ng of a locomotive;

The outer bearing of the shaft D is in the lower part of a bent lever, F, the fulcrumpinf of which passes into the framing of the locomotive. rlhe Vcrank-wheel c gearsinto a pinion, g, the axis h of which is connected by a universal joint, i, with a shaft, Gr, having upon it a screw, H, which gears into a worm-- wheel, I. The outer bearing of the shaft Gr :is in the lower part of a lever, J, the fulcrumpin j of which passes into the framing of the locomotive. This lever J has a spring, K, bearing against it, which has a tendency to y `keep the screw H on shaft G in gear with the worm-wheel I, which is on a shaft, lVI, the latter having a longitudinal position in the fram-` ing A of the locomotive, and `provided with a square link, N, at its outer end to enter the draw-head O of an adjoining car.

- The brakes hereinafter described are operated from the shaft M, and when steam is employed for the purpose the shaft Gis rotated by means of the driving-rod b of theY steamcylinder C. In case friction is employed for the purpose, the engineer or attendant actuates the lever F and throws the friction-wheel E in contact with the tread of thev drivingwheel B', and the screw H may atdany time be the engineer or attendant depressing the outer end of lever J with his foot. y

The friction mechanism described would be ot'r use in case of the driving-rod b catching on the center of the toothed crankv'heel c. this case by applying the friction-wheel l] to the driving-wheel B the center may be passed. A contingency of this kind, however, would not be likely to occur 5 vbut in case of its occurrence no difficulty can ensue, on account of the remedy at hand. i

The parts described form a very simple and eiiicient means for communicating power to the brakes. The engineer cank at any time apply the steam-power to the shaft, and can instantly stop the motion of the latter, when necessary, by depressing the lever J, as set forth.

OX P represent two car-truck frames, each of which is provided with a central longitudinal rod, Q. These rods perform a double funcwhich has afriction-wheel', E, on" it in line with the `driving-wheel lB of the locomotive.

tion, to wit: They serve as a means for applyturned out of gear from the worm-wheel I by ing the power to the brakes of the cars, and they also serve, by means of draw-heads O, to form a connection between the several cars of a train, and therefore admit of all the cars of a train having their brakes operated simultaneously. The draw-heads O, therefore, while connecting the several rods Q, must also admit of the rotation of the same. The draw-heads are simply tubes attached to one end of the rod Q of each ear and having a square longi tudinal opening in them to receive the square link or tongue N on the end of the rod Q of an adjoining car, the links or tongue being secured in the drawhcads by the draft-head or coupler between and connecting the cars.

The rod Q of the frame Ox has upon it near its center a screw, T, which gears into a wormwheel, U, the axis of which is attached to a pendant, j', of the frame Ox. The worm-wheel U has a crank, V, attached to it, and this crank is connected by a chain, W, to a rod, X, which passes through the upper end of a bent lever,

Z, the fulcrum-pin it of which passes into the lower part of a pendant, Z, attached to frame Ox.. (See, more particularly, Fig. l.) On the rod X there is placed a spiral spring, m', one end of which bears against the leverl Z and the other end against a nut, u, on the rod X.

In the lower part of the lever Z there are placed two rollers, o o-one at each side of its fulcrum-pin c-and around these rollers a chain, A', passes, which extends over the axles p of one of thetrueks of the frame and around a pulley, g, connected to the center ofthe outer brakebar, r, thereof, said chain A' then passing underneath the axles and around a pulley,

s, attached centrally to the inner brakebar, t, thereof, and having its end connected to a ixed bar, B", between the two pairs of wheels of the truck. The opposite end of the chain A is connected to a rod, C', which has a chain, D', which passes around a pulley, a, attached to the center' of the outer brake-bar, o, of the other truck, and then passes underneath the axles zo w of said truck and around a pulley, a', attached centrally to the inner brake-bar, b', the end of the chain D' being connected to a fixed bar, E', which is between the two pairs of wheels of said truck.

From this description it will be seen that when the rod Q of the frame Ox is turned by the screw T and the worm-wheel U the crank V and chain W will actuate the lever Z, the spring m being compressed under the pull or action of the crank. The lever Z being thus actuated, the chain A', and also the chain D', is tightened or drawn, so as to cause the shoes F' at the end of the brakebars to press or bear against the wheels.

In consequence of the crank V operating through the medium of the spring m, each wheel is subjected to a uniform pressure, and any torsional spring ofthe rod Q or variation in the movement thereof is compensated for.

' It is designed that the spring m shallvbe sufficiently stiff to allow the maximum pressure to be applied to the brake, and a stop, ax, is at tached to the frame Ox, tolimit the movement of lever Z, the spring m stilladmitting of the crank Tv" passing its center by a continuous rotation of rod Q. By this arrangement, therefore, though there may bea slight difference in time in which the highest operating maxlmum of pressure is obtained by the spring, play, or torsion of the rod, the wheels of each car and the wheels of all the cars of a train will receive the same amount of pressure. This is an important feature of the invention, as it prevents any wheel from slipping in the train while others rotate, and the breakage of wheels is avoided, as well as other parts of the running-gcar-a fruit-ful source of expense and accidents.

The lever Z has a rod, F", attached to its up per part, said rod F" being connected by a chain, bx, to a hand-shaft, cx, on the platform, which may be arranged in the usual way. This mechanism admits of the brakes being operatedby hand when necessary.

The brakes of the car-frame P are substantially the same as those just described, the only difference being in the substitution of spur and bevel gears dx ex to drive the crank V instead of the screw T and worm'whecl U, and also employing a lever, Z', and rollers o'o' (similar to lever Z and rollers o o in the frame 0x) to each truck for the brake-bar chains to be actuated from instead of directly from Z. There is one feature, however, which theframe P contains which is'essentially different from the device for the same purpose in O, and that is thehandbrake mechanism. In the latter case the upright shaft H'is formed of two parts connected bya universal joint, dxx, having a pinion, cxx, at its upper end, which'pinion gears into a pinion, fx, on the shaft of the hand-wheel gx. The lower end of the shaft H' is stepped in a sliding rod, I', which has a spiral spring, hx, upon it, and which has a tendency to keep a screw, J', on the lower end of shaft H' in gear with a worm-wheel ix, on a shaft, jx, around which a chain, kx, attached to a rod, lx, passes, the rod Zx being connected to lever Z'. (See Fig. 2.) The rod I has a lever, K', connected to its outer end, and this lever passes up through a slot, mx, in a horizontal plate, ax, in which the axis or shaft ofhandwheel gx is fitted, and a spring catch or fastening, ox, on the plate ux keeps or holds the upper end of the lever K out from the handwheel gx and the screwJ'in gearwith awormwheel, px, on the rod Q. When, therefore, the upper end of the lever K' is forced outward from the hand-wheel gx, the screw J' is in gear witli the worm-wheel px of rod Q, and the brakes will be operated through the medium of said rod, which is connected to the corresponding rods of the adjoining car or cars. In case, however, the brakes of an in dividual car are to be operated, the lever K' is released from the catch or fastening, and the spring hx throws the screw J in gear with the hereinlset forth. p p

. `2.j The employmentfof bent or angle levers,

fwomwhei ofthe Shaft jx. Thus bythi l simple arrangementthe shifting of the screw J` may be veryreadily accomplished.

I would remarkthat the brakefbars may be lsuspended""fromrthe framing ofthe trucks in' the usual Way, andalso that the springgm may i be a metallic or anindia-rubber one.

Having thnsdescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 3 p p `1l. Theemployment or use of a steam-cylina revolving shaft, M, substantiallyas shown, Whensaidsteam-cylinderisusedincombination with revolving brake-rods Q, attached to the cars or the trucksthereof,V for the purpose With'friction-rollers to obtain perfect uniformity of pressure, in combination with rods p der applied to a locomotive and connected with lforth.

4. The jointed shaft H', provided with the screw J', sliding springrd l', lever K', or lts and chains to Connect the braking-bars and each other when operated by/a tumbling or` Y revolving rod, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

l 3. Actuating the brakes from the rotatmg rod Q through the medium of a crank, V, and

spring m, arranged with a lever, Z, or applied directly to the brakes, so as toioperate substantially as and `for the purpose herein set equivalent, and the worm-wheel ix on the chain-shaft jx, all arranged as shown,1`or the purpose specified. l

p A. I. AMBLER.

` Witnesses:

' E. l?. Ho'rcHKIss,

. S. C. FIELD. 

